The Story of Hanna/Chapter I - Detained

"Hold on", the guardsman says, grabbing your attention. As soon as you turn towards him, he takes you by your arm. You try to pull yourself free, but only once; you soon realize that it's futile, and probably a bad idea anyway, since he's a guard and all that. Leon realizes what has happened quickly, and the guard turns his attention towards him. "You too. Come back here."

"Is there a problem?" Leon calmly asks, looking at you and your worried face.

"Excuse me for asking, but I have a reason to believe that this girl does not belong to you."

"Well, that's true", Leon says, walking up to the guard, looking as if wanting to grab your arm and take you away from him. The guard presents himself between you and Leon, preventing Leon from coming to you. "But I showed you the permit, sir. It was a legal document signed by her owner, which authorizes me to be her temporary caretaker."

"May I see it again?" the guard asks kindly, giving his hand to Leon. "Just to make sure everything is alright with it."

Leon sighs, but summons the documents regardless, mumbling to himself something about this being unnecessary. You agree. The guard already saw the documents, so why would there be a reason for him to see them? Besides, he didn't seem suspicious at all until he actually saw your face. You smell something fishy here, which is highly worrisome to you.

As soon as the guard is presented with the documents, he shakes his head. "This is no good", he says.

Leon, too, is starting to get a little worried. "Surely you must be joking. What's wrong with these papers?"

"You see, in these kinds of cases you need to have your papers approved by the magistrate."

"But this is an official paper", Leon states, slapping the paper once. "It has all the relevant information."

"It is missing the stamp from the magistrate", the guard points out, with his finger on the part where the state official's signature is written. The guard is correct; there is not any stamp included. Neither Leon or you know whenever there is such a rule in place, so as far as you know, he could be lying. Chad should know though, and surely he would not make a silly mistake like that slip through his fingers. He's very thorough with his papers. "The magistrate's office is just around the corner. I can go confirm the documents with the officials and ask whoever signed this if he or she really forgot to stamp this. Until then, you will have to come with me."

Leon sighs, throwing his hands in the air. "This is such needless bureaucracy."

Guard is already dragging you by your hand, with his other hand clutching his sword on the belt. Still, his full attention seems to be on Leon though. "Come on now, young man. Do not make the situation worse than it already is."

…

Near the gates there are a lot of government facilities; there's a guard house, the magistrate, an immigration office and a small detention facility as well. This facility is merely a temporary housing space for those who have been arrested, where they will either be set free or transferred somewhere else, depending on circumstances. You and Leon were transferred to different rooms, and you never even got to say anything to him or reply to his words of encouragements. He said to you that everything is going to be fine, but you can't calm down. In this small, soulless cell with grey walls and no entertainment, in solitary confinement, you await impatiently for what's about to happen, sitting on the side of the bed that has been dressed in baby blue linen. The worst part about all of this is that you don't have a say in anything that's going on.

The wait is fortunately not that long. A woman in her thirties comes to you along with the guard who arrested Leon and took you to custody, but it doesn't look like they're here to unlock the door and set you free. The keys remain sternly in the chain, which is hanging on the guardsman's belt. You stand up and walk to the bars, looking at the two adults with a worried look on your face.

"We're here to explain the situation to you", the guard says, smiling kindly. He turns towards the woman, asking a question. "Do you want to do the honors?"

"Yes, please", the woman says, coming down to her knees, down to your level. "What's your name?"

"It's Hanna…"

"It seems to me like you're being tricked", she says.

"T-that's not true!" you reply in stoic protest.

"Come on now, don't get upset", she says, trying to smile. "We know it's not your fault, and it can be hard to accept, but that man was a smuggler." Again, with the shameless lies! You want to lash out and say that it can't be the case, but you resist your urges. It's not like she would believe you anyway. "We have confirmed this document to be a forgery."

"B-but how can that be!?" you ask, angry and confused. "It's just missing the stamp, and that's clearly an oversight on your part! Why should Hanna have to suffer because of you not doing your work properly!?"

Both of them seem a little surprised by your resolute and skeptical attitude. They probably were expecting you to act like a totally clueless little child, unable to think for herself. "Well… It's not the only problem here…" the woman explains. "The documents were apparently signed by a woman named Penelope Belrose, but no such person exists."

That's something that you can't just straight up dispute, even if you want to. She could be speaking the truth, or she could be lying. Your gut tells you that it MUST be a lie. It is possible that Chad got deceived by a corrupt officer in the magistrate, because it's possible that he doesn't know the names and identities of all the people working there, but how does that explain the stamp? That part could be a lie. One thing you know for sure is that Chad would NEVER forge a document. Besides, it still doesn't explain why Chad would've accepted papers without a stamp in the first place. Was there a middleman? There was Chad's signature on the paper, so that's unlikely as well. Would Leon forge a document? You don't know him well, but you trust him not to do something like that, especially since it would land him in hot water, as evident by the fact that both of you got arrested. You find yourself frustrated, because you have no idea what's going on or what's true.

"We can still try to contact your owner", the guard says, with an encouraging tone. These words make your heart skip a beat, because if Leon's story is to be believed, Chad is missing. He's in trouble, possibly in hiding. "He can come fetch you from here. We have no right to unlawfully keep you detained if he comes for you, but until then, you will have to remain in custody."

"I-is there no other way for Hanna to get out?" you ask, almost as if trying to bargain with your destiny.

"Unfortunately, we have to keep you here", the woman says. "Please understand."

How could you understand? This is all so unfair. You feel like you and Leon are being cheated and screwed royally. They both get ready to leave. You can see them glancing at each other, smiling as they go. You're not one to assume people's bad intentions based on mere hunches and guesses, but you can definitely feel that there's something extremely unsettling and disingenuous about those grins they have on their faces. As soon as they leave, you feel yourself being overtaken by three strong emotions; anger, sadness and fear.

…

It takes about two hours until you see anyone again. This time, it's someone else, a young girl who seems to be totally unrelated to what has happened to you. She doesn't even know why you have been detained, but she offers you some words of encouragement. Needless to say, it's pointless to ask her about what's going to happen to you or Leon. She inquires you about your needs and asks if you're hungry. You're being offered two full meals during the course of the day, which is very much appreciated. Having accepted that you've got no way out, you request two things: books to read, and contraceptives. She's glad to provide you with any books, but she doesn't seem to take your other request seriously, citing that there's no way you'd actually need them. You kind of want to explain your situation to her, because it genuinely seems like she has no idea what kind of slave you are, but it doesn't even seem like she's interested in listening. She says she's in hurry and leaves, promising to bring you food and books.

All that considered, the situation is just getting worse and worse. Leon has probably been arrested and transferred elsewhere, Chad is probably not going to save you, and chances are, you're not even going to get the potion you need. Depending on how long you actually have to be in this prison, things could get very grave very quick, and the last thing you want is a baby. You can't put a number on your chances of getting pregnant, but you feel like the chances of it happening are higher than the chances of it not happening at the moment. It comes down to how much of an effect the potions you've downed prior to these couple of days have on you. The worst of all, it could already be too late; your egg could already be fertilized.

Another hour passes, and the girl comes back. She greets you and opens up a little window she can use to give you items from the other side. The meal doesn't look like the most delicious thing out there, but it looks nutritious and filling. The books are clearly designed for little children. And as you feared, she doesn't have the potion. It doesn't matter what you say, or how you try to spin your situation; not even tears work on her. All she gives you is apologies and excuses about there not being potions in the facility. She does promise to talk to her supervisor about the possibility of getting you a potion though, since she seems to take your worry seriously.

There are a total of ten books, all of which you decide to check out. Not only are they all children's books, but eight out of ten are just picture books designed for kids even younger than your perceived age. They all have a lesson to teach and a nice message attached to them, which is always a nice quality for a children's book, but you can't really say that they're entertaining in the slightest, or even the least bit intellectually stimulating. Out of the other two books the other one is a story you've already read, and is a favorite of yours, while the other one is a less known title written by a local author. It is about halfway through to the third chapter that you realize that it's very similar to the book called "Anne of Green Gables", which is strange, because you never actually remember reading such a story. That's when you realize that it must be a book you were familiar with in your past life.

The girl comes to check on you periodically, asking if you have any needs. Aside from a trip to the toilet - which you're granted, supervised by an unfamiliar guard - you've got nothing. You also say that you would appreciate books that are a little bit more mature. As for food, you say that you're not hungry. Besides, you've still got some bread left.

You're getting tired. Yes, it has been a full day in confinement, and the sun is already setting. Door opens once again, and you're already hoping to see the kind lady who seems genuinely worried for you. This time, it's the familiar guard, and he's got two of his colleagues with him.

"Hello again, Hanna", he says. "Do you have a moment to talk?"

You scoff at him. "That's all Hanna has…"

He let's out a laugh. "Now, now. There's no need to be rude. So, is it true that Chad Mason is your legal owner?"

"Yes."

"Does that mean that you've been working for his company, Daring Angels?"

This time, it takes a little longer to answer, but your reply is the same.

"Are you aware of the things that has happened to them in the recent days?"

"Yes, Leon told Hanna."

He nods a few times, thinking about his next question. "So, do you happen to know about Chad Mason's whereabouts then?"

"Unfortunately, Hanna has no idea."

He sighs, shrugging. "His office has been left empty, and raided by cultists too, but the man himself is nowhere to be found. He must have made some enemies out of wrong people."

"Aren't you guys supposed to be guards? Do something about it."

"Well, truth be told, those cultists have been on our radar for a long time already", he explains, "so you don't have to worry about us doing our jobs, okay? The bottom line is that since there's no reason to believe he's coming to get you from here, you're going to be transferred to a different facility immediately."

You suspected this would happen. Of course you did. The only question in your mind is: "Where?"

A wicked grin appears on his lips. "Slave market."

You open your eyes fully in surprise and shock, bursting out from the bed to your feet. "W-wait just a minute! Why!?"

"The law states that the city of Eletria has a right to detain and repurpose any and every slave that has not been reclaimed by their owner in a set amount of time. You're going there to be sold to a new master."

"W-wait a minute… T-this is all too quick…" Your voice is shaking, and so is your entire body. "It hasn't even been a full day."

"There's a good reason to believe that you won't be reclaimed by your master, so we're going to take you there are a proactive measure", the man explains. "We can't legally sell you until two weeks has passed, but we can take you there as merchandise and find you a suitable buyer for when the day inevitably comes."

You can't believe this is happening. You're going to be taken to some slave market and kept there like some cattle, and wait to be sold to the highest bidder? You never thought your days with Chad and in Daring Angels would end like this. You know that even in the best-case scenario your future is grimmer that it would've been had none of this happened. The state doesn't care about who they sell their merchandise to; they just want the money. You know for a fact that morality and wealth don't go hand in hand well in this city, so you worry for your future. Quietly, you hang your head. You can't accept this, but what choice do you have?

"Let's not waste any time", the man says, picking his keys. The other guards seem to have a pair of large cuffs in hand, made of steel and two large logs of wood. Attached to it there is also a chain. In defiance, you resist, but only for a bit. As soon as the men overpower you and lock your wrists inside the heavy contraption, they start dragging you by the chain, dragging you out from your cell and to the outside. Inside a dark alley there is a chariot waiting for you and two other detained prisoners, both of who are adult men. Leon doesn't seem to be here though, so he's being transferred separately. You realize that you might never see him again. Then, the doors are closed, and you're taken for a ride.

…

The first stop for the chariot is located in the central district which is known for its lavish buildings. You don't have time to marvel their beauty - not that you can see well anyway - but when the door opens, and the two men are taken away, you can see a large, walled castle, which you presume to be a prison. You're not going there. No, you're going to be taken a little bit further.

The next stop is the last, located in the northern commercial district near the harbor. The area is a busy one around the clock is known more for its services and exotic merchandise, while the one to the south is more known as a place for citizens to buy their daily groceries, some clothes and ingredients. From the market place built in the shadow of a large basilica, known for its dome shaped roof told to be the largest in the world, three major streets go towards three directions. You're going towards the western street, famous for its casinos and brothels. This is where the slave market is also located.

You've only heard of this place, and those stories were second hand as well, so you don't really know what to expect. All you know that it's a big place, and one of the most heavily guarded businesses in the area. You feast your eyes upon the four stories high building. Its design is pretty simple, and while it looks like a block of stone from the outside, you wouldn't think that it's actually a slave market. It looks more like an official government building to you, but that's just the front. You're not going in from the front door; you're taken to the backdoor, which leads to a very special part of the market.

They call it the "Back Room", but let's be honest, it's not just a mere room. It's just as large a section of the slave market as any other. It's a smoke-filled place with moody red lights reminiscent of the street famous for them. It's a place for very specific kinds of slaves: sex slaves. Considering your past, your experiences and your undeniable beauty, there was never any doubt that you would be brought here. All young women are taken here, especially the pretty ones. Here is where they fetch the best price. You've also heard that it's not merely a place for slaves to stay and wait to be sold; it's a place where they have to work while they wait for their buyer. Potential buyers always have a right to inspect their merchandise before their purchase, and they can even test and use the slaves for a price. It's a very good - and sometimes cheap - alternative to brothels.

In the end, that's all just stories you've heard from others, mainly from the girls who you've worked with in Peonia. What really awaits you here? You don't have to worry that much longer. You're dragged by your wrists inside the first room, and the door is shut and locked behind you. The guard who has been dragging you, turns towards you and simply says: "Welcome to your new, temporary home. Trust me when I tell you, you're going to wish you find a buyer quick."

• Next chapter of your life.